The power... At last! The source of destruction I was striving for... No, bitch, think not I am no longer enjoying using your vigorous energy for raising the slain weaklings, making them walk and kill for my mere entertainment, no... You shall watch, you shall watch and suffer, I sense your fear, your hatred... But all you can do is watch your gift exploited! What would you do?! Take it away? Too late, pixie, too late... Watch and suffer... watch and bleed with your twitching eyelashes!!! What a waste you were, 'tis time for something meaningful... I'm burning as 'tis dark materia is running through me, my veins are a tiller ruptured by dark bolts piercing the enemies hearts, burning them alive with grim flames, I have reached a new level of pleasure... Hearing them scream is not enough... Hearing their souls in agony — yes, yes, 'TIS is what I want, 'tis is the music I'd like to hear!!!

She fooled me, another bitch who gave me nothing but asks too much, mhm, sure-sure, do it for now... xas... yes, she broke the arrangement, she tries to manipulate me, she is a joke! Ha, a nonsense! She is a shame of a jalil, blasted Sshamath... But... But we'll- shut up, quiet there, shhh... mhm... yes, she will answer for THAT! No, quiet... shhh, not yet... later, in time... Step by little step, twitch by tiny twitch, 'tis mouthy fly shall be mine, oh yes... She escaped my pleasure table, but she's only giving me time to sharpen my knives haaarder... Knives? Why don't you use the new power given to you, burn her soul out... Mhm... yes, perhaps, maybe, I think... I would... Hehe... Knives and flames, shimmer of steel and impenetrable darkness of dark blaze... Shh... quiet! QUIET! Not now, no, not now...

I'm all hers now... 'Tis amusing to watch her... I'm walking on a razor edge, but 'tis blade is long-blunt... She wants to teach, but the corruption has begun... You won't poison the snake by biting it — you'll poison yourself... You shall die, and the taste of the raw scales is the last thing you'll experience... Goodnight, sweet Aunrae... Sleep we- Shh, shut up, she's alive! She's alive, blind, but alive! Hm?! So what... I said QUIET!!! I think I shall play along, oh yes, but the time she brought that hairy jaluk... Oh, 'tis is remembered, and remembered well, and your sweet body shall have additional scorch just for that silly humiliation attempt... For now — I'm yours, oh yes, 'tis sweet game... Surface jaluks are pathetic, chasin' their groins she became just like them, hrmph! Miirszyx is about to crack, I shall lure his secrets out... You won't, idi- Shut up, be gone! You don't need it... OUT OF MY HEAD!!! Shut! He... Hehe...

Vithing pain... Curse it! Blast! With all the countless hours of ruins pillaging, I forgot about my sweet ambrosia... My limbs feel dry, about to crack, they strive for 'tis elixir of life! Give it to me! GIVE IT TO ME!!! Shhh... shut, quiet, we'll get it... Yes? Mhm... yes, mhm, indeed, yes... No time, no vithing TIME! I grabbed the first orc I spotted at Gloura's and he followed... A fool! I could've easily sacrifised him to mother Lolth, such and obedient witless wael. But no, nooo, I had more important matters 'tis cycle... The system of passages crawls like a tapeworm in the deep entrails of Sshamath, my destination is so night, ENOUGH!!! Give it to me! Shhh... I said gi- quiet! Shh, quiet, calm down, soon...

The devices are set, and I begin to brew. Cretok grinds the ingredients fast, perhaps I would even leave him alive when I'm done. Faster... Faster! BURN! Yes, yes! Dark materia accelerates the process, the eldritch flame makes the liquid boil! I mix, I sieve, I extract! Mhm... yes, the scent, the powder is prepared, 'tis needs to cool down, but no, no! No time! Cretok was commanded to degustate, and his goblin did it instead. Poor little vermin is twitch on the floor, drowning in his own froth! Haaa-hahaahahaa! Bwael, excellent! 'Tis TIME! I am rubbing the sweet powder into my gum, a moment of silence... Sweet pain distorts my features, and then I feel the warmth... Great! More, more, I need MORE! Second dose makes the world brighter, 'tis gives me tranquility, but wait, waaaait, 'tis but a momentary abatement, soon eno- Mhm, yes, now, now! Brrr, I feel it... Energy, power, vigor, 'tis all fills my vein, dillutes my shadow energy, it gives me strength, will for action, will to murder! My pupils watch broader, these are the eyes of a predator...

'Tis city is utterly worthless! How many jaluks have I crossed?! Have I found at least ONE of them being slightly more intelligent than a cobblestone?! NO! Comparing them to Miirszyx, I see he wasn't that bad... Mirsszyx, mhm, yes... Miirszyx and my recent success at the Darkwoods, how do I link these two? The beggars buy my special healing powder, they want MORE, we ALL want MORE! And... hehe... and, mhm, yep-yep, shh, shhh, hehe, shhh, quiet, not now, shhh... And WE'll GIVE THEM MORE!!! WE SHALL GIVE THEM MORE! Mirsszyx was the first one to join my new political power — Darkwoods Syndicate! Together, we shall show 'tis cowardly city how the business is truly done!

The bitch though, grr, how dares she?! She refused, denied my generous offer! She was given the chance to become a part of the history, but she was too stubborn to realise it! Doesn't matter, hmph, I'll let Miirszyx handle it. He is the Speaker now, 'tis is his duty after all... Oh, I do already love 'tis taste of power. Taste of blood. Yes, so sweet, 'tis touched my tongue when yet another miserable Dev'lin refugee cut her own hand behind my back at Gloura's. I enjoyed Tedia's blood, but I wanted more, WE wanted more... In the depths of the Spider Kiss, we drained eachother dry, the whole chamber being painted with our bleeding wounds, I gave her no mercy, devouring the last remains of her lifeforce through her bleeding lips. She claimed to be a talented enforcer as well, and I shall grant her an opportunity to prove it!

There is no time to waste! My old power fades, the bitch can break her vithing pact any moment, take away all my might! They weren't told about the purpose of this perilous trip, but they followed — because they are loyal to me, members of my Syndicate! Right before we entered the ruins, some curious jalil approached! Grrr, she will DIE! Shut up, fool, Miirszyx was right about... DIE... Shh, patience, he said tha- I shall aniihilate her, she dares not!!! SHUT UP, YOU ARE RUINING IT ALL, SHUT!!! Shh... quiet now, quiet, patience... Yes, sure, she might come, and indeed, she proved herself useful. She helped me locate the portal - tis seems that another Dev'lin archer called Sabrae'l was right. She was too cowardly to follow me though, while my servants are brave! We touched the orb of darkness, and I was right indeed.

The shadow plane. Exactly the place I was looking for. I have come as a guest, and my sacrificial blood made the master of this place aware of my presence. Screeching whispers became more intense, my companions heard them as well, they had their head pierced by unbearable sonic waves, but 'tis is nothing compared to what happened inside of my head! Zarakh spoke, and each word of his was resonating deeply in the surrounding obsidian walls... He spoke and his words were... NO! Shhh!!! Forget them!!! Toss them out of your memory!!! They must be forgotten! Shh... mhm... yep-yep... phew... Doesn't matter! I have spoken out loud, and his gift was accepted! He faded away, and the painful whispers too. I fell down to my knees, embracing wet, scarlet altar, having my hand bleeding to death. I felt myself so hollow, but then... Then I felt power. I felt myself burning, on fire, on shadow fire, new energy flows inside of me, this materia dissolves me from inside, but it hurts my foes even more!!! They were gazing at me, silently staring into my burning eyes, and I did not respond. I laughed. I let out a loud, wall-shaking titter, unstoppable, maddening, leaving soggy nasty feeling in their chests. They did not understand, and they won't, but they shall witness all the destruction unleashed on 'tis world.

Every move Is planned, every step is foreseen. A mouthy muscular lightning-rivvil has become my property after he failed to show proper respect to his superiors, a tribute from a faern I have accepted as given. We could've murdered the animal right away, but no, no, hehe, I have better plans. Transported into the depths of Darkwoods, he unleashed all his barbaric arsenal, trying to yell, mock and taunt, to break free and attack... ENOUGH! My patience ran thin, and liquid dark smoke dripping from my fingers was the last warning the rivvil has ignored. A devastating acid beam has stricken his crude, hairy face, he didn't understand what is going on, but tis was too late... Tis my turn to have fun, rivvil. Blast, blast, blast, BLAST, BLAST, BLAAAAHST!!! DIE!!! More and more abyssal energy was infused into his miserable flesh, and at long last, he begged for mercy, he was sobbing like a worg pup, cowering in the corner and begging me to stop. Excellent, so very excellent... Mhm... He was eager to accept any terms in that moment, and I had an agreement prepared just for him...

Tis rivvil was truly exotic, and so I have quickly found a customer for him. A little jalil, a svirfneblin of sorts, she wasn't looking for any rivvil slaves, she was looking specifically for my claim, and I was eager to share. She paid the first part of the summ and promised to meet me the next cycle, and tis time is perfectly enough for me to conclude all my preparations. When we visited the rivvil again the next day with Miirszyx, he wasn't resisting, this broken being begged to set it free, and so I provided him such mercy... But only after he gave me something back, hehehe... FOOL! YOU ARE MINE NOW! YOU BELONG TO MEEE!!! The pact is struck, and the bond is established. Now, to the final part of the plan...

She was standing there, at the said place that stays abandoned most of the time due to conclave's ridicolous laws. Such services formally don't exist in Sshamath, yet I am making an exception for a little jalil, bringing her a chained rivvil she so much desires. Without any hesitation, she paid plakla, she made my pockets heavier, and now we are watching her leading the disobedient brute away from my sight with our burning, outworldly eyes, but I see nothing except eternal darkness. I am no blind, no, I simply see the FUTURE. Oh, poor little girl doesn't even realise what surprise have I hidden inside of her new acquisition. Tis rivvil is a fireball with a delayed explosion...

The expedition has begun. Yes, Xavian's plans are so very sweet and pleasing... Formula of our success has three elements — plantation, laboratory and a test subject. First thing was dealt with with relative ease, we have encountered merely no resistance on our path, and tis would've been too simple if not for embarassing disguise — blasted "ye bastards", argh, I HATE IT, my skin still SCRATCHES. The spores have been planted, and we only have to wait for them to grow big and deadly.

We are following the direction written over the crampled parchment I purchased. It was created by witless surface vermins and was nearly impossible to read, but there it is, the grotto we were looking for! These twisted caverns crawl below like a worm, and so the secret place was found — the laboratory exists indeed. It matters not who has built tis place and whom did it belong to — it is MINE now, I claim it for my Syndicate! Tis includes everything we require, yes, even more, MORE! It didn't go unnoticed, blast! My actions were spotted, and spotted by Malla herself! Vith, vith VEEEEETH!!! Why me, why?! She sent her spiders, an omen of hers! Tedia and Miirszyx, these fools think 'tis her favor, WAELS! Verge between her favor and hatred is too think to rely on the first, and 'tis attention is not what I need at all!

She failed to show respect to the higher race — and she fell. These surface animals never learn. The rivvil wench lies at my feet, and only Tedia's dagger near her toes made her speak. Playing an idiot, trying to look even more stupid than she is, tis hardly matters to me. The rivvil is utterly useless for me herself, but her body... Yes, yes, she shall suffer, the blood shall BURST out of her exploded veins, th- Shh... nooot so fast, quiet... DEATH!!! She will DIE! Shh, easy, quiet... Patience, shh... The test subject has been found, and tis means our mission is complete. We are coming back to the Underdark.

Transportation did not go smooth — we are attacked! A huge mob of duergars tried to take away MY claim, fools, hahahaa!!! SLAY THEM ALL! They kept attacking us again and again — and they kept dying like worthless vermins they are. Their commander has soon fallen as well, tis was an ilithiri. Transporting her as she is for interrogation will cause too many questions, so I have reshaped her quite a bit using a couple of axes. Good, so beautiful and smelly, so fresh... I shall feed it to the worgs once tis starts rotting, and her head shall serve as a cute decoration for our lair.

The business goes much better than even I expected. The Syndicate grows and prospers, the lower races kneel before my power. Miirszyx has suggested me something truly pleasing, and I could not deny it. The Bloody Shiv Brawl shall occur soon, a special tournament having much more surprises than one can expect. Tis very expected some vermins will try to sabotage it. FOOLS! You shall NEVER succeed! They tried, oh, they did so tis cycle! I was attacked by a mob of darthiri animals at the Ogre Caves during my business trip and they cut me away from the world below! Tis was your huge mistake, worms, and you shall be punished for it. To deal with these temporary difficulties, I have summoned a special guest.

Xeyn, a deadguard of Quellar Zau'afin, a jaluk with respect to traditions and ilithiri ways. Tis mighty colossus soon has arrived, leaving no trace of the Trolls Claws blockade after his iron boots march. As expected, with a champion at my side I met no resistance on my way back to the world below. A pity. My necklace desperately needs more ears to decorate it. To compensate tis lack of tasty blood, Xeyn suggested me and Miirszyx to accompany him to the ancient maze, and tis seems I knew what ruins was he talking about.

Fiery castle and colorless bastion of lament, Xeyn perfectly knew his way through tis twisted planar labirynth, and soon I couldn't tell at what plane of existance we are at tis point. Tis place reminded of a giant twisted musem collecting rare sculptures and beasts as well. To die, possessing such vast riches — the owner of tis place is an absolutely miserable loser, a worm whose treasures are now claimed by me. His tests were easily passed, his belongings are mine and of the loyal of mine. How many drow do you claim you have slain, Durlag?! Where ARE YOU NOW, DWARF?! I don't SEE YOU! Haaa, hahahaa!!! Shh... Ha! WORM!!! Shut! Shh... calm down, eas- shh... Hmprm, yep-yep...

Leaving the citadel, we found ourselves at some desolated wasteland, at the part of the world above we knew not about. Walking through rocky hills and snowy deserts, we spent the whole cycle trying to find any signs of sentient life. Vith! Bloody Shiv Brawl is in two cycles, and we MUST return to the Underdark by that time! We managed to find some miserable distand rivvil village. Those maggots are looking at us with awe and fear, as they are supposed. We are staying here, and the next cycle we shall continue our journey.

Just as maggots are crawling into a rotting corpse, the guests have started filling my hall. They have come with burning eyes, even those who tried to pretend they were passing by. Hungry for combat, thirsty for blood. They are to recieve what the desire and even more, but in time... The first combatant was already here — Xeyn, he was the obvious favorite tis cycle, and well deserved. Miirszyx brought several rivvils as well, including a funny tiny jaluk who boasted a lot. Combatants filled the scene, and by tis time a special guest has arrived — Karn, the Captain from the surface town of Roaringshore. He of course didn't dare to deny my invitation, but he came even further — he decided to test his might at the arena. So very excellent, let the combat begin!

Miirszyx, as the Speaker of the Syndicate and of the brawl by extent, has prepared his own surprises in addition to mine. The brawl has started with a royal rumble, and rivvils, except Captain, fell first, turning out to be as weak and miserable as I expected! One of them, though, surprised everyone. Zoop, tis little sneaky vermin, was much more potent than anyone could guess, managing to last till the end. The spectators are aroused, significant bets are made by influent guests, and tis seems Xeyn would cost the Syndicate much plakla, but who knows?

Two on two, tis format was a doom for a little mouthy jaluk. His frail rivvil companion fell in a second, and the tiny bastard followed soon, being fatigued after trying to face two ilithiri sargtlinen. The Captain faced the remaining jaluks and a huge Hezrou summoned by a Conjuration school faern, and he prevailed with ease. Before the final round, there was a surprise Miirszyx prepared. Xeyn of Quellar Zau'afin and Daug'aonar of Bregan D'aerthe, these two mighty warriors, who used to fight side by side few moments ago, are now to face eachother for the right to reach the final! I have invoked a hideous mix of oil and tentacles on the arena to make the fight more... interesting, but my lustful expectations crumbled over these two walking mountains! Tis combat lasted for a vithing hour, but at long last Daug fell, and tis was a time for the final clash.

Captain of Hellstorm Crew and Dreadguard of Quellar Zau'afin, feral uncontrollable frenzy versus deadly unshakeable discipline, tis was truly the final everyone desires to see! Even before I commanded to begin, the rivvil failed to hold his fury and rushed forth, trying to slash Xeyn with his axe! I care not, I shall greedily consume them both with my hungry eyes, tis a pleasure itself watching powerful jaluken fight, and would be even a bigger one seeing Xeyn crush the rivvil!

WHAT?! HOW?! WHAT THE VEEEITH?! How could that BE?! Tis primitive rivvil, a savage with a crude axe, managed to DEFEAT Xeyn?! Unspeakable! I shall DESTROY HIM! BURN, SCO- Shh... I SH- QUIET! QUIEEET, I TOLD YOU, SHUT!!! Tis unacce- SHHUUUUTT, shh... quiet, easy... breath... breath, bwael... See him? He is the alpha predator here, he crushed all his opponents, even the one who was rumored to be invincible before... Yes, indeed, I agree... Tis rivvil has truly something in him, even my power did not let me foresee such outcome. Perhaps he could even make a good mate would I shave his ugly hair from the face. I am handing him the well deserved plakla, and he accept, showing the manners that were hard to believe in after his savage fury.